A multifaceted personality

Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar

Umachandraa Pragash who is presently a media co-ordinator attached to Express Newspapers (Ceylon) Ltd (Virakesari) from 2009 was earlier employed as a senior Executive (Programming) in Shakthi FM since 2001 to 2009.

She hails from an illustrious family in Madduvil North and received her primary education at Chandra Mouleesa Vidyalayam and secondary education at Chavakachcheri Ladies College. Therafter she joined Shakthi FM and served as a TV announcer, script writer and also as a programme producer. As a News Reader, her services were immensely appreciated and duly recognized by the listeners for her excellent presentation. Eventhough, she worked in this prestigious organization for more than eight years she has presented Live Telecast and interviewed important personalities and important events.

As a programme producer she has produced and presented several hundreds of special and important programmes. Besides, she has even produced and choreographed several musical, dance and drama programmes for telecasting. She was instrumental and responsible for introducing new programmes and also several announcers as well. In fact, she took all possible steps to enhance, enrich and expand the Tamil service in Shakthi TV by even extending the time limit. She has even inspired and encouraged juniors and local artistes for their participation and contribution in Shakthi TV.

She was responsible for the selection and training juniors in this particular field. She has even conducted weekday programmes like Nerukkuner from (1 pm to 3 pm) which included Kallurik Kanaigal and Kalyanaparisu. Besides this she has conducted devotional programme like Malarumshakthi at the weekend from 5 am to 6 am on Saturdays. She was responsible for Vanakkam Thayagam programme which was highly appreciated by everyone. Further on special occasions like Thai Pongal, Tamil-Sinhala New Year, Deepavali, Shakthi Anniversary, Christmas and New Year, Children’s Day and Mothers’ Day, she has planned and produced recorded programmes.

Indeed, she excelled in the production and presentation of music and dance. This was evident in all the programmes conducted by her in TV and also on platforms she has compered several programmes with exceptional ability and to the greatest satisfaction of the audience. In fact, her Tamil pronunciation, artistic technique and presentation reflects Tamil Culture and tradition.

In the year 2010, she participated at the ‘World Chemmoli Conference’ on behalf of Virakesari which was held in India. She even visited Chennai and met Kavipperasu Vairamuttu for the production and composition of Chen Tamil songs at Virakesari. Further, she won a Bronze Award in 2010 at the most favourite website competition conducted by Sri Lanka LK Domain Registry. In 2012, she won a Merit Award at the Yarlmann website.

In addition to all these, she even compered several programmes of Sivasithamparam veteran dancer Rama Vaidyanathan and several other dance programmes of high standard. Further, she played a key role in the Exhibition namely ‘Lifestyle of Jaffna’ held at the University of Jaffna in which Professor S Pathmanathan, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jaffna Professor Vasanthy Arasaratnam. Several professors, lecturers attached to the university of Jaffna participated. At this exhibition the General Manager of Virakesari Kandasamy,Editor, Kalaikkesari, Annaludchumi Rajadurai,Head of the Information Technology (Virakesari) Thayalan,Deputy Editor of Kalaikkesari Johnson and several others participated and this exhibition was of tremendous success.

Umachandraa Pragash has even interviewed the Trustee of Nallur Kandasamy Temple and several other prominent personalities. Further, in appreciation and recognition of her yeoman service in the spheres of TV presentation, production and journalism, she was appointed as a Justice of the Peace (All Island). She is married to M Pragash who is a businessman and her only daughter Priyanka is a student at Belvoir College, Bambalapitiya.

Undoubtedly Umachandraa Pragash is a multi-faceted and multi-dimensional personality and a holder of Diploma in Journalism from the University of Colombo. Furthermore, she expressed her sincere gratitude and profound thanks to the Managing Director/Chairman of Maharaja Organization, R Rajamahendran and to the Managing Director of Express Newspapers of (Ceylon) Ltd Kumar Nadesan for their tremendous support, co-operation and assistance rendered by them for her progress and success in her career as a Television personality and Journalist.